The number of prescriptions filled for opioid pain relievers has increased dramatically along with deaths from overdoses from painkillers (more than 1000 in AZ last year), leading the CDC to identify prescription drug abuse a problem of "epidemic" proportions. To better equip physicians against this crisis, the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers two free online [...]
A new study published in February by the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that taking folic acid may help reduce the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The study followed more than 85,000 children nationwide born between 2002 and 2008 and followed up with them in 2012. According to the study, [...]
The mind and body aren’t separated- and neither should the health-care delivery system- especially for folks with a serious mental illness. People with a serious mental illness die more than 25 years earlier than the general population… an unacceptable health disparity in anybody’s book. The increased mortality is largely from treatable medical conditions caused by [...]
A new program is coming to help address infant mortality rates in Arizona thanks to the leadership of Dr. Maria Manriquez and the Maricopa Integrated Health System- who was awarded a Strong Start for Mothers and Newborns grant from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). They’ll be developing enhanced prenatal care at maternity care homes, [...]
The next meeting of the Midwifery Scope of Practice Advisory Committee will be from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday April 3, 2013 at the State Laboratory Conference Room located at 250 N. 17th Avenue in Phoenix. Here’s the agenda for the meeting. Our Rules team is still working on the set of draft [...]
In last week’s update, I discussed the impact of federal sequestration to the main agencies who award us funding. We’re expecting a 5% reduction to our funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, a program that provides access to HIV/AIDS medications for patients with limited or no insurance coverage. We should be OK in this [...]
There’s never a dull day in public health! Things are changing all the time– from new interventions to help folks stay or be more healthy to the discovery of a new virus. Recently, folks on the other side of the world documented a new Coronavirus that can be transmitted person to person. It was first [...]
One in every 600 or so babies born in AZ has Down Syndrome, including my kid Luke- (pictured here with his Grandma & Grandpa- Tom and Norma). We'll be celebrating World Down Syndrome Day on Thursday March 21st to help raise awareness of what Down Syndrome is, what it means to have Down Syndrome, and [...]
Here’s some good news about the battle against the obesity epidemic: national data shows the average intake of calories has decreased for boys and girls over the last 12 years. While the news is encouraging, our work to promote nutrition and physical activity to reduce obesity remains important. Reducing obesity is a Winnable Battle both nationally and [...]
Believe it or not only 27% of health care workers are up to date with their whooping cough booster… yet health care personnel can be infected with it by their patients, and then pass it on to other patients, family, and the community. The Arizona Partnership Against Pertussis, a coalition of seventeen health care organizations [...]
